Excavating and tunneling machine.



H. A. STORRS.

ExcAvAUNG AND TUNNELING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 26. i913.

Patented Sept. 26,1916.

H. A. STORRS.

EXCAVATING AND TUNNELING MACHiNE.

APPLICATION man oc.26. |913.

1 1 99, 1 27 Patented Sept. 26, 1916.

' 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

H. A. STORES.

EXCAVATING AND `IUNNELING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 26.1.9!3.

1 ,199,127. Patented sept. 26,1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEioE.

HARRY A. STORES, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

EXCAVATING- AND TUNNELING MACHINE.

Application led December 26, 1913.

To all 107mm t may concern Be it known that I, HARRY A. STORRs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Excavating and Tunneling Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an assembled mechanism designed for breaking into fragments the hard materials comprising the earths crust, or more specifically, the mining or tunneling operations involved in excavating coal, ore and rock from the place where they were deposited or created by the forces of nature. In other words, the invention covers an excavating or tunneling machine, which attacks, fractures and displaces rock which has not previously been disturbed by human agencies.

The novelty of the invention consists primarily in the application of the so-called momentum or fly-wheel7 effect in a rockbreaking machine, which machine is moved and directed against the rock, ore or coal which is being excavated; the material being stationary when attacked, or in place according to geological phraseology.

The novelty consists further in mounting all or part of the rotating elements on a flexible support, thus enabling the gyroscopic property of the heavy rotating mass to become effective in the operation of breaking into fragments the material against which the machine is forced and directed. 4

The novelty of the machine consists further in imparting rotary motion to the fleXibly supported gyroscopic element by a motor mounted thereon or by means of frictional contact or elastic connection between said element and the driving motor, the speed of the driving motor being variable and under such control as will enable the speed of the gyroscopic element to be indenitely varied at will by the operator.

The assembled mechanism further includes a carriage on which the Vrotating element, its flexible supports and driving motor are mounted, in order that the machine as a whole may be traversed into successive positions so as to direct and control the attack of the rotating element upon the rock material to be fractured and excavated.

It is known that the momentum of rotating cylinders, carrying projecting points, has been used for fracturing rock materials Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 26, 1916.

Serial No. 808,730.

in a stationary machine to which the rock, ore, etc., has been transported after having been extracted from its bed in the earths crust. But in that case the mountain was brought to Mahomet, whereas according to the present invention Mahomet goes to the mountain. advanced to the machine, whereas, in this Vcasevthe machine is advanced to the work,

the latter being stationary until operated upon by the machine. In the older process In that case the work was i' the crushing of the rock, ore, etc., is effected flywheel protuberances impinge against the inequalities in the surface of the stationary rock material, the Vkinetic energy of the moving mass produces momentary forces of great intensity which tend to maintain the speed and direction of motion of the protuberances making contact with the rock thus forcing them into the rock with shattering effect. The forces evolved when the kinetic energy of the rotating mass is transformed comprise two factors, namely, momentum and gyroscopic action. The former resists any attempt to lessen the speed of rotation of the flywheel or displace it radially, while the latter resists any attempt to tilt the plane of rotation of the flywheel; the former opposes retardation of the motion of bodies traveling in circular orbits, while'the latter opposes changing the direction of the axis of said orbits. Hence a comparison between rotating cylinders used for crushing rock masses inserted between them, and a flywheel shattering rock masses against which it is moved, shows that while the force of momentum is utilized in each case, the gyroscopic eect is utilized only in the method proposed by me. n

Both the forces mentioned above are depended upon in my machine to resist the momentary and rapidly repeated recoils andrebo-unds resulting from the impact of the flywheel projections against the rock projections of the working face or breast of the` excavation. The tendency for the cumulative effect of countless such impacts to serlously displace the axis of rotation in spite of the kinetic energy expended in resisting it,

by a shaft coupling, or by belts, gears, etc., y

and carrying a spider or arms on the end of the shaft. The saidV armsare provided with projecting po1nts, knives, chisels or similar cutting tools. Vhen rotated, theaims force the cutting tools to abrade, disintegrate or wear away the rock'material. There is no momentum or hammering effect in this case, but on the contrary the cutting tools are forced to do their work as the direct result of applying the torque of the motor through the driving mechanism and rotating arms to the cutting tools. In this class of machines; the rock material is not subject to a hammering effect which would take advantage of its brittleness as is done in the proposed machine,but the rock is forced apart by great pressure'applied to the cuttingk tools.

Another class .of tunneling machines reproduces` mechanically the usual hand-'drillf ing processes or the `process of fracturing b-y hammer blows. The momentum of moving masses of metal is here used to secure the percussive action which enables the rock material to be drilled or shattered. In this process the moving mass strikes kthe rock material in a direction normal lor nearly normal to the face to -be pulverized or fractured, and stops; the hammer or drill recoils and is drawn back, and,starting the next blow from a position of rest or relatively so, itsy motion is accelerated until it strikes and is again stopped in its course. The operation consists in, a. series of reciprocating motions on the part of the hammer or drill. In the proposed machine, on the contrary, there is no reciprocating movement like that of a hammer or drill, and no direct recoil, but the rotary motionv is continuous and its speed but little changed by the minute and rapidly repeated blows struck by the protuberances of the iiywheel element, andthe resultant `effects are similar to the abrasion accomplished by those machines in whichcutting tools are forced to wear away the rock material. But inthe proposed machine small fragments are .struck away from the rock mass by an infinite succession of minute hammer blows, whichy donot individually cause a. recoil of the attacking projections but collectively produce a` braking effect on-v the flywheel tending to reduce its speed. The braking effect is counteracted by the energy imparted to the fiywheel by the driving motor and the speed is maintained almost constant. The projections on the flywheel deliver effective oblique, glancing blows,

whereas drills and hammers cannot work to advantage when striking other than substantially normal blows.

The complete machine, as proposed by me, A

comprises a suitablemounting. for the supports of the rotating element and the driving motor, and Vmeans for traversing the mechanism in anydesired direction, but will preferably consist in screw traversing devices for the supports of therevolvi'ng element, and a. carriage with wheels running on rails for traversing the -machine as a whole. The traversing devices will enable the revolving element to be moved axially in its supports, and the carriage to be moved i laterally back and forthacross the working face or breast, the latter movement depending upon the wheels, `rails and, sliding shoes or sills.

The machine comprises the usual acca'- soriesneeded' to make operation safe, comfortable andA effective. These may include a metal shieldto protect the motor, gearing,

etc., as well asthe operator, from flying.`

embodiment ofthe same is set forth in the accompanying drawings and in the description based'` thereon. however, that the invention is susceptible of embodiment in other and varied constructional forms, `wherefore the drawing and description are to be taken in an illustrative and not in an unnecessarily limiting sense.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a side elevation of an excavating machine constructed according, to the invention; Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view on the line 2 2 vof Fig. l; Fig. 3is alfront viewof the rotary or gyroscopic element with the face plate removed; and Fig, 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line of'Fig'. 3.'

The machine frame is shown as consisting of four pairs ofstandards 8 in the lower endsof which are journaled the axleshf) of the wheels 10 traveling on railsll, 11 extending transversely* of the machine with their two ends supported on a pair of sills or ,shoes 12, 12,K constituting a sliding carriage for the machine. each pair of standards 8, 8, are connected It will be understood,i

The members of Preferably above and transversely ofv the' machine to forman arch, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, and each arch supports a journal bearing 13 for the traversing shaft 14 which carries la hand wheel 15e. The traversing shaft is ment 21.

The excavating element is in the nature of a flywheel and comprises generally a heavy rim 22 which is connected to the shaft 20 by means of radially arranged spring spokes 23, bolted at their inner ends to a collar 24 which is keyed upon the shaft 20 and at their outer ends adjustably connected to the rim 22 by means of screw plugs 25 is clearly shown in Fig. 4. This form of connection between the rim and the shaft provides for a high degree of flexibility, -permitting relative yielding of the parts in every direction. The spring spokes of the gyroscopic element are housed within the space between the rear plate 26 and the face plate 27 and thus protected from flying particles of rock and accumulations of dirt.

Projecting both from the periphery of the gyroscopic element 21 and from its front face are excavating tools` 28 which are removably let into the front face of said element so as to be readily adapted to replacement when worn or injured. These tools have operative faces adapted to the particular kind `of work in connection with which they are to be used and are illustrated herein as Vhaving peripherally and forwardly extending teeth 29 adapted to penetrate and disrupt by impact the rock masses against which they are projected.

The two clevises 18, 18 are connected upon each side by a bar 30 and from these two bars is supported a motor represented at 31, the shaft 32fof which extends rearwardly beneath and in parallel relation to the main shaft 20, the two shafts having a fixed relation to each other by reason of their suspension from the same iiexible support. The motor shaft 32 has splined thereon a pinion 33 and a friction drive wheel 34 both of which are movable longitudinally of the motor shaft by means of a shifting element indicated generally at 35. As illustrated in Fig. l'of the drawing the pinion 33 is in mesh with the large pinion 36 which is fixed upon the shaft 20 and as the friction wheel 34 and the pinion 33 are shifted to the left the pinion 33 leaves the pinion 36 and immediately thereafter the friction wheel 34 is brought into friction engagement with the periphery of the friction wheel 37 which is likewise fixed upon the shaft 20.

The shaft 20 is advantageously formed hollow as a tubular member and the rear end thereof is connected at 38 with a supply of any suitable pressure Vfluid such as water whereby a stream may be directed from the front end of the shaft against the breast of the rock being excavated in order to soften or to remove the resultant muck.

From the foregoing it is believed Vthat the operation of the device will be readily understood. It may be stated, however, that the machine having been brought into operative relation to the work by means of the tracks 11 and the wheels 10, the motor vis started and by means ofthe lowgear connection, shown in Fig. 1, the gyroscopic element is caused to rotate. Having been thus set in motion the gears are shifted and the friction wheels 34 and 37 brought into engagement whereby the rotary element 21 is driven at a very high rate of speed by the yielding flexible engagement of the friction wheels. The hand wheel 15 is then operated to cause the suspending blocks 16 to traverse the shaft 14 in a forward direction thus bringing the tools 28 into contact with the rock breast. The excavating tools are projected in an oblique direction against the rock material and disintegrate the same by means of a rapid succession of blows under the momentum of the heavy rim 22. The resistance offered to the tools by the rock is yieldingly sustained in the plane of their orbit by the flexible connection between the rim V22 and its shaft 2O and supplemented by the friction gear, on the one hand, and in a direction oblique thereto by the gyroscopic properties of the rapidly rotating flywheel resisting any force tending to disturb the plane of rotation. The forward feeding of the machine by threaded engagement of the traversing shaft 14 of the blocks 16 is rendered flexible and yielding by. reason of the suspension of the main shaft 20 from the blocks 16.

It will be understood that by advancing the shoes 12 alternately the rails 11 are caused to assume a position oblique to the general line of advance and the machine is thus bodily shifted from a position at one angle to the line of travel into a position at an opposite angle of similar degree, so that as the rotary element 21 is traversed longitudinally of the carriage and frame, it attacks the breast in a direction at an inclination to the line of lgeneral advance,v and as the machine frame is traversed transversely of the carriage on the rails 11 the cutting tools act on the breast transversely of such general line of advance so that the excavation is of'elliptical shape rather than circular and the tools on the peripheral and front faces of the gyroscopic element 21 are brought at all times into the most advantageous operative relation to the work.

ioo

I claim): 1. In an excavating-machine, a gyroscopie element, means to rotate said element, a

'mounting for said element permitting the latter to depend upon its momentum to resist displacement of its plane of rotation, impact tools carried by said element, and means for feeding-said element and tools to the work, substantiallyvas described.

2. In an excavating-machine, a shaft, means to rotate said shaft, a gyroscopic elenient comprising a fly-wheel iiexibly mounted on said shaft, whereby the element is permitted to depend upon its momentum to resist angular displacement of its plane of rotation, excavating-tools carried by said fiy wheel, and means for feeding the fly-wheel and its tools to the work, substantially as described.

3 In an excavating-machine, a flexiblysupported shaft, means to rotatesaid shaft, a gyroscopic element flexibly mounted on said shaft, whereby the element is permitted to depend upon its momentum to-resist angular displacement of its plane of rotation, eX- cai-ating-tools carried by said element, and means for feeding the element and its tools to the work, substantially as described.

4. In an excavating-machine, a shaft, a gyroscopic element comprising a fly-wheel flexibly mounted spring spokes, whereby the fly-wheel depends upon its momentum to resisty angular displacement of'its'plane of rotation, eX- cavating-tools mounted on said fly-wheel, and means for feeding the fly-wheel and its tools to the work, substantially as described.

5. In an excavatingmachine, a flexibly Copies of this patent may oe obtained for on said shaft by means ofy supported shaft, :means to rotatesaid shaft, a gyroscopic element comprising a fly-wheel flexibly mountedonsaid shaft byineans ofy spring spokes, whereby the Vfly-wlieel .de-

pende. upon. its momentum to resist yangular displacementof its plane ofrotation, exean vatingtools mounted on said fly-wheel, and means for feeding the fly-wheel and its tools to the work, substantially as described.

G. In an eXcavating-machine,` a shaft,` a

`flexible support for said shaft, a gyroscopic element comprising a flyfwheel mounted onV said shaft, the fly-wheel depending upon its momentum to resist angular displacement of its plane of rotation, excavating tools projecting from said fly-wheel, a motor mounted onythe flexible shaft-support, and

a driving-connection.between the motor and the shaft, substantially as described.`

7. In an excavating-machine, a flexibly-f supported shaft, a' motor, a friction gear connecting the motor and the shaft, av gyroscopic element comprising-.fa.flywhel flexibly mounted on the shaft by vmeans of springspokes, whereby the liy-wlieel depends upon its momentum to resist angular displace- HARRY A. STORES.

IVitnesses L. T. G'REIST, M. C. BRowiiR.

ve cents each, by addressingthe @Commissioner of l'atentl,L

Washington, D. C. 

